equator crossing ceremony script

The Golden Shellback was awarded to those who also crossed the equator and the International Date Line or 180th meridian, (where the world is divided between Eastern and Western Hemispheres) at the same time. It was designed to test the novices in the crew to see whether they could endure their first cruise at sea, senior chief aviation boatswains mate Bernard Dizontold the Navys press office. I am one of the disappointed. It is a memory that is etched into each and every seafarer, for it is an event that ushers in a sense of belonging to ones profession. Sailors undergoing the ceremony were physically and verbally abused before being subjected to an act called "sump on the rump", where a dark liquid was daubed over each sailor's anus and genitalia. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and 12 0 obj 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. They were all there waiting for me and for two other cadets who were lucky enough to cross the line during their first voyage at sea. I love the sea and all the beauties it brings along, I love travelling, nature and taking photos.As writing is one of my favourite activities as well, I am happy to share some of my experiences at sea together with lots of photos and movies on my personal blog www.travellingoncontainervessels.com. The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare. So we though lets compile one of those facts about titanic ship that probably you are unaware of. Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. [5], By the eighteenth century, there were well-established line-crossing rituals in the British Royal Navy. Those credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune "were received with the watery honours which it is customary to bestow". ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. The ceremony observes a mariner's transformation from slimy Pollywog, a seaman who hasn't crossed the equator, to trusty Shellback, also called a Son or Daughter of Neptune. WebAlthough crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. At sea you are not woman or man, you are sailor. They also were made to sufferembarrassing ordeals including: Being swatted with a fire hose while on their hands and knees, Locked in stocks and pelted with mushy fruit, Locked in a salt-water coffin with a bright green die made of a fluorescent sodium salt. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. Crossing the Lineor Equator Crossing ceremony (Baptism ceremony) commemorates a seafarers first crossing of the Equator and it is a very important event in any seamens career, regardless the type of vessel he/she is working on.Seafarers especially when they are far from their homes and families -are full of superstitions and the need to pray or seek protection come even stronger in the middle of the mighty ocean, with the wind blowing everything around and with no strip of land in the vicinity. King Neptune decrees the "lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the royal fish!". The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. It is a memory that is etched into each and every seafarer, for it is an event that ushers in a sense of belonging to ones profession. It was also called crossing the line. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. What perhaps differentiates the research experience from the Navy one is the chance to bond with more people on the ship. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Ship passengers who have never traversed the nautical line are forced to prove they are worthy to make the transition. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. Source: Titanic is the best movie that has happened to the world cinema. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition Even so, the ritual has taken up other homes, albeit with distinctly less oppressive undertones. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. WebEquator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. Seafarers may cross the Equator after many years of sailing both the North and South Hemispheres, but in different voyages as they can join a ship in the North and spend as much as nine months travelling the seas in the same part of the Equator, or they can do this in the South without the possibility of crossing the line by vessel. VA disability pay for 2023 increased by 8.7%. There are still cases in which seafarers are put to difficult and embarrassing tests sometimes humiliating and even painful experiences in order to receive the blessing of a very unkind and unfair God.The ones who received the same harsh treatment years before are more likely to perform the same unkind ceremony on the new comers and the more humiliating the situation is the happier they are. The first "griffin" was Charles Darwin, who noted in his diary how he "was then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water. Wha I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. Y5 Qq;ye>f26&%`M*+*l]H'BNo):-"XE9{4j"Lg@) iV*BN^SBs\-L~N%$uEF7IQfs}`2m~)lMk'C/Cclf[#jFv5OT\S People hear a knock on their door and they know it has begun. One sailor was then sexually assaulted with a long stick before all sailors undergoing the ceremony were forced to jump overboard and tread water until permitted to climb back aboard the submarine. t a terrible thing it would be if a Navy man became gay. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). WebAlthough crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. The Iron Shellback are those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto who crossed the equator after a 200+ day voyage during the 2020 pandemic. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. Wogs then returned to the forecastle, where they were hosed off by firehose and then allowed to kiss, in turn, the belly of the sea-baby, the foot of the sea-hag, and the ring of King Neptune, each personified by Shellbacks. This part is the beginning of the ritual wherein they are stripped down to their underwear (or nothing!) Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog receives a certificate[15] declaring his new status. [3][4], In the Royal Canadian Navy, those who have not yet crossed the equator are nicknamed Tadpoles, or Dirty Tadpoles; an earlier nickname was griffins. at last, glad enough, I escaped. Following the dip, raw eggs are broken onto the heads of the first timers and then they are made to drink a deadly concoction of beer, chilly sauce, raw eggs etc. Learn how your comment data is processed. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. She recalled the innovative costumes and how almost everyone on the ship was involved. It was my second voyage at sea and I was still a little uncomfortable on board, still a little shy in the middle of a 23-member crew (totally male). "?HF]y@O?&jL _ Usually, the role of Neptune is played by an experienced sailor dressed up in a funny handmade costume with other crew members acting as imaginary creatures helping him to perform the ceremony and captain acting as a mediator between the two parts. Today, the event is voluntary and is conducted more for entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything else. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Baptism on the line, also called equatorial baptism, is an alternative initiation ritual sometimes performed as a ship crosses the Equator, involving water baptism of passengers or crew who have never crossed the Equator before. King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 We still laugh about it to this day. He actually told me that he had never agreed to humiliating or painful trials for the new comers because the strength of a real seafarer stays in his heart, his wisdom and his kindness and these qualities can not be tested through silly, humiliating or painful ordeals.. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. After we drank our glasses with that awful tasting liquid, we received our certificates together with everybodys congratulations and enjoyed a wonderful party thrown in our honor. Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Since then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the same pattern. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. The scientist I spoke to was also proud of her line-crossing, describing it as really positive. But from her account, the experience seems to have been an inclusive, constructive one, fully compatible with what the Navy member called political correctness. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. 731|+pvwX` From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. Lastly, the Pollywogs take a royal bath in a pool of sea water before being declared Shellbacks, after which they receive their certificates, which they can proudly hang on their wall at home. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). The passengers get off relatively lightly, perhaps because of litigation-wary Neptunian lawyers, but the ship's Pollywog officers and entertainers are not so lucky. Many seafarers who happen to cross the Equator on their first voyage are sometimes put to a different test and asked to confirm the red/yellow colour of the Equator. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Download image. stream The Shellbacks plan the coming festivities, but they also spend the entire month taunting the Pollywogs until a mock mutiny is staged by them on the day before the Equator crossing Pollywog Day. The custom of crossing the line was immediately adopted following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy, as seen here onboard HMAS Australia (I) in 1913. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. The two-day event (evening and day) is a ritual in which previously inducted crew members (Trusty Shellbacks) are organized into a "Court of Neptune" and induct the Slimy Pollywogs into "the mysteries of the Deep". most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. I had my baptism ceremony nine years ago, in the beautiful waters of the Indian Ocean, somewhere North of the Seychelles Islands, while heading towards the West Coast of Australia. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. <> This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. After we drank our glasses with that awful tasting liquid, we received our certificates together with everybodys congratulations and enjoyed a wonderful party thrown in our honor. crossing the equator, Commanding Officer Captain J. Scott Jones, for instance, publicly announced that the USS Bonhomme Richard had a great celebration of this important passage. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. When a ship must cross the Equator reasonably close to one of these meridians, the ship's captain might plot a course across the Golden X so that the ship's crew can be initiated as Golden or Emerald/Royal Diamond Shellbacks. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. Prior to writing for Veterans United Network, David served in the United States Air Force and spent 7 months in Afghanistan as a Logistics Officer and Brigade Engineering Officer with the Army National Guard. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. [10], U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt described his crossing-the-line ceremony aboard the "Happy Ship" USSIndianapolis with his "Jolly Companions" in a letter to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt on 26 November 1936. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. (Photo: An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. Required fields are marked *. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The Iron Shellback are those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto who crossed the equator after a 200+ day voyage during the 2020 pandemic. Bestow '' the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow recalled the innovative costumes and almost. Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals and were made to appear before King Neptune and Party. 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